Disc for a ventilated disc brake

Abstract

A disc for a ventilated disc brake, particularly for racing cars, which has the advantage of exceptional resistance to both thermal and mechanical stresses, comprising a brake ring and a bell-shape support, in which the brake ring is structurally independent from the bell and is formed from two ring elements separated by an air space and connected by spacer elements, and is attached to the bell by way of the spacer elements.

We claim: 
     
       1. A disc for a disc brake of the type comprising a brake ring and a bell-shape support separate from said brake ring, the brake ring being composed of a first material different from a second material contained in said bell-shape support, the first and second materials having different coefficients of thermal expansion, said brake ring being formed from at least two ring elements separated by an air space and connected by spacer elements, wherein said brake ring is attached to said bell-shape support by means of said spacer elements, wherein each of said spacer elements has at least one lug that is received between at least one fork projecting from said bell-shape support and each said lug is removably retained in said each fork by at least one connection member, whereby said brake ring and bell-shape support are substantially free to thermally expand and contract. 
     
     
       2. A disc according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said forks projecting from said bell-shape support and a plurality of said lugs projecting from said spacer elements engaged in said forks and retained therein by a plurality of connection members. 
     
     
       3. A disc according to claim 2, wherein said spacer elements are fins and said lugs project as extensions of said fins from a leading edge of said fins. 
     
     
       4. A disc according to claim 3, wherein said connection members comprise hollow pins which extend through holes formed in said forks and holes formed in said lugs. 
     
     
       5. A disc according to claim 4, wherein said holes formed in said lugs are radially elongated. 
     
     
       6. The disc brake according to claim 3, wherein said brake ring has a center and a length of each of said fins is inclined relative to a radial line extending from the center to a point on a peripheral edge of the brake ring. 
     
     
       7. The disc according to claim 1, wherein said disc has a plurality of said forks and wherein the bell-shape support includes a peripheral edge extending between said forks, said forks being spaced at intervals around the circumference of the bell-shape support, and at least one of said forks is defined by a first prong that is coplanar with the peripheral edge of the bell-shape support and a second prong comprising a substantially L-shaped element projecting from a periphery of said bell-shape support. 
     
     
       8. A disc brake according to claim 7, wherein said forks comprise a first prong integral with said peripheral edge of said bell-shape support and a second prong comprising a substantially L-shaped element projecting from a periphery of said bell-shape support. 
     
     
       9. The disc according to claim 1, wherein said bell-shape support comprises a plurality of said forks spaced at selected intervals about a peripheral edge of said bell-shape support and said brake ring comprises a plurality of said lugs spaced at said selected intervals about an inner edge of said brake ring, and wherein each of said lugs has a width that is no less than a distance between a pair of forks that are adjacent to each said lug, whereby each of said lugs are able to be engaged with respective forks. 
     
     
       10. In a disc for a disc brake of the type comprising a brake ring and a separate bell-shape support, the brake ring being formed from two ring elements each of said ring elements having braking surfaces lying in substantially parallel planes and separated by an air space and connected by spacer elements including a plurality of lugs projecting from said spacer elements for releasably engaging the bell-shape support. 
     
     
       11. The brake ring according to claim 10, wherein said brake ring has a center and a length of fins being inclined relative to a radial line extending from the center to a point on a peripheral edge of the brake ring. 
     
     
       12. The brake ring according to claim 11, wherein each of said fins has a leading edge and each of the lugs is on the leading edge of each of said fins. 
     
     
       13. The brake ring according to claim 12, wherein each of said lugs includes a radially elongated hole for receiving a connection member. 
     
     
       14. In a disc for a disc brake of the type comprising a brake ring and a separate bell-shape support, the bell-shape support comprising a plurality of spaced apart forks projecting from a periphery thereof, each of said forks comprising at least two prongs each of which is pierced by a hole, said holes being coaxially aligned relative to one another and adapted to be aligned with a corresponding hole of a lug of said brake ring, said lug being engaged in said prongs and retained therein by connection members received within said coaxial holes of said corresponding fork and said corresponding hole of said lug, said connection members comprising pins extending along said holes, to retain said lug in the fork corresponding to said lug. 
     
     
       15. A bell-shape support for a disc of a disc brake as recited in claim 14, wherein said forks comprise a first prong integral with said periphery of said bell-shape support and a second prong comprising a substantially L-shaped element projecting from said periphery of said bell-shape support. 
     
     
       16. A disc for a disc brake, comprising: a brake ring formed from at least two ring elements that are symmetrical about an axis of symmetry, each of said ring elements having braking surfaces defining substantially parallel planes and connected by spacer elements including a plurality of lugs projecting from said spacer elements, each of said lugs including a hole;   a bell-shape support having a peripheral edge for attaching the disc to an axle comprising a plurality of spaced-apart forks projecting from said peripheral edge of the bell-shape support, each of the forks releasably engaging a corresponding lug and each of said forks including a hole coaxially aligned with respect to one another; and   a plurality of connection members for releasably attaching the lugs to the forks, each connection member being received in the holes in said forks, wherein the bell-shape support and the brake ring have different coefficients of thermal expansion and are substantially free to thermally expand and contract.   
     
     
       17. A disc according to claim 16, wherein said spacer elements are fins and said lugs project as extensions of said fins from a leading edge of said fins. 
     
     
       18. A disc according to claim 16, wherein said connection members comprise pins which extend through the holes formed in said forks and the holes formed in said lugs, the pins being symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of symmetry to resist mechanical stresses from braking while maintaining the disc in balance. 
     
     
       19. A disc according to claim 16, wherein said holes formed in said lugs are radially elongated. 
     
     
       20. The disc according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the forks is defined by a first prong that is coplanar with the peripheral edge of the bell-shape support and a second prong comprising a substantially L-shaped element projecting from the periphery of said bell-shape support. 
     
     
       21. The disc according to claim 16, wherein the forks have prongs that are symmetrically disposed relative to the axis of symmetry.